Kanoa, MPU stay in title hunt

A Kanoa FC player tries to take away the ball from a Tan Holdings FC member during their game in the co-ed U12 division of the NMIFA spring league last Saturday at the Hopwood Junior High School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Kana Football Club and MP United FC remained in contention for the season championship in the co-ed U12 division of the 2016 NMIFA Youth Spring League after easing past their respective foes last Saturday at the Hopwood Junior High School Field.

MP United shut down Paire, 7-0, to keep the top spot in the four-team field. Rintaro Miyawaki scored four goals and Andrew Chung, Dylan Kim, and Rohan Basnet added one apiece for MP United, which now has a 6-0-1 win-draw-loss record.

Kanoa, on the other hand, holds the second-best mark in the division at 5-0-2 following its 9-3 rout of Tan Holdings. Brian Lubao led the victory with his hat-trick, while his brother Ian and Paulynn Grace Joyce chipped in two goals each. Jim Kurt Maniago and Wayne Lizama contributed one goal apiece. Angelo Pulido knocked in the two goals for Tan Holdings, which got one from Christian Puri.

Only Kanoa and MP United are battling for the spring championship, as Tan Holdings fell to a 2-0-5 mark and Paire dropped to a dismal 1-0-6 slate with only two playing weekend left in the three-round robin season.

This Saturday, MP United will face Tan Holdings, while Paire and Kanoa will collide in the other match. Then on April 16, MP United and Kanoa will square off in a crucial game, while Tan Holdings and Paire will close out their spring assignments.

BOYS U14
Tan Holdings 2, MPU 1
Over at the Koblerville Elementary School Field, Tan Holdings nipped MPU.

John Michael Rojas knocked in the go-ahead goal for Tan Holdings, which tied MPU’s 5-0-2 mark after the close win. MPU, however, is ahead in goals, 38-36, to win the tiebreak for first place in the team standings.

Oliver Lee tallied the lone goal for MPU, while Kirro Batino nailed the other shot for Tan Holdings.

Kanoa 6, Matansa 3
In the first game in the division, Kanoa downed Matansa.

Ian Karl Maniago and Jhoey Noble registered two goals each for Kanoa, which drew one goal apiece from Sebastien Manabat and Kirt Andon. Kanoa improved its record to 4-0-3 for fourth place in the team standings.

Matansa is at fifth place with its 3-0-4 mark and got one goal apiece from Razeff Altamirano, Miket Johnson, and Iverson Santos.

Paire 10, Shirley’s 0
Paire posted the most lopsided win in their group after crushing Shirley’s.

Paire shares Kanoa’s record, but took third place because it has more goals, 38-29. Blake Mister added three to Paire’s total, while Raffy Lee and Ken Song contributed two each. Other scorers for Paire were Kaden Church, Robbie Schorr, and Jamin Elliot.

GIRLS U15
Shirley’s 6, Matansa 2
Shirley’s kept the top spot in its division after romping past Matansa at the San Antonio Middle School Field.

Theriza Millare had a hat-trick for Shirley’s, which owns a 6-0-1 mark to lead Kanoa (5-0-1), Matansa (4-0-3), MPU (3-0-4), Tan Holdings (1-0-6), and Paire (1-0-5). Jeralyn Castillo added two goals, while Jasmine Phan made one.

Sunny Woo and Bernadette Horey scored for Matansa.

Kanoa 2, Tan Holdings 0
Kanoa shadows Shirley’s in the team standings after beating Tan Holdings and getting its fifth win.

Joyce drilled the pair of goals for Kanoa, bringing the team’s total to 41—the most scored so far in the girls U15 division.

MP United 5, Paire 2
In a make-up game, MP United defeated Paire.

Maaya Sato and Gillian Villagomes gave MPU two goals apiece, while Grace Choi logged one. Maria Castro and Patricia Nicole Surima hit the board for the cellar dweller Paire.